u have 2 b more specific. the weight is not important the specs on said eqp. need more info. but dont dispare there is hope & i am here

A small "Warn" winch with a capstan head, at one end and a pulley at the other. Use the type of cable from speed boat steering mec. You will need a quaility spring at the pulley end to keep tension on the cable. The winches are 12V dc and are bidirectional with a simple switch. Install a couple of NC switches at the end of travel to avoid breaking your cable. Best of luck.

What you're describing is called a trolley. The powered versions are typically for heavy-duty applications, and likely overkill for your needs. A standard "push trolley" (shown here) is cheap and easy to use.

Just search for "hoist trolley" and you will find plenty.

Im with You. 660 lbs isn't much. pushing by hand is cheap and simple plus it will keep You in shape as an added bonus.

oilcan13

You need to buy Trolley that will be available at any local supplier of the hoist. Trolleys are of three types 1.Manual Pull Push Types (provided with 4 wheels only). 2. Manual Hand Geared Type (provided with hand chain attached to pinion driving 2 gears mounted on wheels) 3. Electric Trolley which is driven by electric motor and gear box. For such trolley you will have to mount panel with contactors for reversing motor direction and seperated 2 way push button. Before selecting trolley please check that trolley is adjusted to mount on I Beam installed by you. For small load of 660 lbs you can go for manual Trolley.

Electrically operated mono-rail hoists that can move on the beam using another motor already available in market.

S.KRISHNAMOORTHY, CE(MECH) ONGC LTD

I already have the electric hoist that is mounted on a four wheel trolley, suspended from an I-beam that is two feet from the wall. The I-beam runs along the entire wall of my workshop/studio. I am a mural painter and rather than bust my hump going up and down ladders or scaffolds I simply needed a carrage that would take me, my paint brushes and paints up, down, back and forth along my large wall. I've worked out the design of what the carrage would look like and on further thought I believe that I could simply rappel myself side to side along the wall. Thanks to all those who replied.

Sorry I dont know your name. Anyhow you have now clarified real use for the hoist, my comments are:- 1) you can not use hoist for lifting up yourself for doing Mural work. It is not permitted from safety angle. Hoist is meant for lifting goods only. 2) I think you are looking for cheaper solution to your going up and down problem. You may try hydraulic lifting platform, which may be expensive but safe solution. Alternatively you can mount a cage on the hoist and use it at your own risk. It should not project away from I beam or it can topple down as suspended from one hook.

Try a garage door opener.

A barn door rail and the rollers the door attach to are rated for 1000lbs. plus. I use this set up along with an electric hoist in my garage, although I don't lift anything close to 1000lbs. with it (mainly just a jeep hardtop).

For 660lbs I would have the host mounted on -beam rollers and just use manual power! Plenty of hoist are available that can do that.

I already have an adequate hoist mounted on I-beam rollers (it is also called a trolley). I was merely looking for an inexpensive means of more precise control in moving the trolley back and forth. Possibly a variable speed drill motor.

Try this web page for manual powered trolleys

http://www.fsindustries.com/more_info/pt_push_trolley_and_gt_geared_trolley/pt_push_trolley_and_gt_geared_trolley.shtml

Thank you. That geared trolley looks exactly what I'm looking for. Hand powered is adequate.

Your welcome!

If you only need to move in two planes perhaps you could get a remote control car/truck with suitable tires rubbing on the fixed base plate, and the frame of the car attached to the movable part of your trolley. The toy should not be carrying any load, only sliding it on the existing trolley.